Grape-stemming device



S. F. TRIPLETT Fhzs, 1929. 1,703,123

GRAPE STEMMING DEVICE Filed March 28, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIL 2 3 f2www www mw www /g 14 -/\0 j "j f2 INVENTOR .E Tlf-@Lebt S BY @wig mmATTORNEY Patented Feb. 26, 1929.

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STANLEY F. TRIPLETT, OF CERES, LlFOBlIA, .ASSlGNOR TO PACIFC GRAPE PROD-UCTS COMPANY, OIE' CERES, CALIFORNA, A CORECRATION OF CALIFORNIA.

. 'GRAPE-STEMMING- DEVICE.

Application filed March 28, 192'?.

This invention relates to devices tor removing stems from gra-pes',especiallyo'i thel Thompson soedless variety, and particularlyrepresents'improvements over the structure for this purpose shown in myPatent No. 1,525,5i3, dated February 17th, 1925.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a stemming;apparatus ior the purpose hav' 5 improved 'features ov what is shown insaid patent, so as to enable stemming operations to be more thoroufrhlyand eli'iciently carried out; and toprovide in addition a cooijieratingmechanism for enablii if small clusters of grapes, connected together bycommon branched stems, to be broken up and separated troni each. .otherbefore the grapes pass to the stemming;u device, so that each grape andits stem is in proper condition to be acted on by said stemming device.

A further object ot the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensivedevice and yet one which will be erceedinglyeective for the purpose 1ierwhich it is designed. .i

' 'lhese'objects l accomplish by mea-ns ot such structure and relativearrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the followingspecilication and claims.

ln the drawings similar characters oi rel erence indicate corresponding.parts in the several views;

Figi'. l is sec-tional elevation ot my imluster bre-airing and grapestemming 2 is a cross section. oit the stemming unit talien on the line2 2 oit Fig'. l.

Fig'. 3 is a. cross section ot the separating unit takeny on the .line 38 oi Fig. l.

Referring)` now more particularly to the characters ot reference on thedrawings, the numeral l denotes a plurality of transversely alined andrelatively long rollers, cntacting' with each other and preferably madeof rubber and steel alternately. These rollersV are driven from one endin any suitable inanner such as by gearing 2 so that the upper Vlaces'of alternate pairs of rollers turn toward leach other so as to formstem engaging and gripping elements. Upstanding' partition members 3extend lengthwise of the rollers above the saine, the partitionsheinglocated in transversely spaced relation so as to term guide troughs4 for the passage oi the grapes lengthwise of and between its rollersWhose 'laces turn toward each other as above stated.

- stuck grapes7 will dislodge the saine.

Serial No. 178,864.

The rollers and partitions are at a ccrtain slope troni the receiving,vto the discharge vend so that the grapes 5 will roll alongii` then'iinates in transverse apronG from which a transverse water spraynoni/.le` 7 discharges at a downward angle toward the upper end. ln thismanner a continuo-us flow ot water moves along the troughs and rollersand keeps said rollers Jfrom becoming sticky. rlho water passing betweenthe rollers is caughtby a trough 8 thereunder into which the stems alsodrop 5 the water and stems being continuously carried away through adischarge pipe 9.

In order to aid in causing' the grapes while rollingl down the troughsbeing` properly posi.- tioned so that the stems will .pass between therollers I provide a pair oi vertical. i'leXible curtains l0 ezwendingacross the partitions at longitudinally spaced intervals and projectinginto the troughs 4 a sullicientdistance to grapes it necessary aredisturbed or re` strained somewhat durinn their travel lengthwise of therollers so that their positionsy will be shifted in a. manner to causethem to be positioneo so that the stems will project between the rollersand thus be pulled off, while the brushes, pressingV against any Thedevice for breaking' up small clusters of grapes, so that each `grapeand its will be unit independent ot other grapes when fed onto the apron6 is constructedas follows:

Longitudinally alined with the stemming unit and ahead of and above theapron (5 is a. table l5. rilhis table is of the shaking or agitatedtype, the shaking movement being imparted thereto in any suitable mannersuch as by means of a longitudinal link 1G driven from an eccentric 17;the table being supported by spring or otherwise yieldable legs 18.rlihe table and its end adjacent the scemming unit has a bottom ofscreening 19 beyond which is an apron 2O which overhangs the apron 6somewhat but does not engage the same.

Projecting upwardly from the table at inf' terva'ls are vertical pins orteeth 2l arranged in the torni of longitudinal and 'transverse rows, thespace between the teeth being such that at least one grape can 'freelypass therebetween. Mounted above the table on vertically adjustablebearings 22 are longitudinally spaced sprocket wheels about which passendless chains 2e. Fixed on and extending between these chains atintervals are ilexible brushes 25 positioned to clear the table but toengage the grapes thereon. lThese sprockets are arranged to be driven sothat the lower runs olf the chains travel toward the rear or apron endot the table.

In operation the grapes to be stemmed are iirst broken up from the largebunches into small clusters and are placed on the upper end of thetable; the brush structure commencing some distance along the table soas to leave a space clear 'for the manual spreading of the grapes on thetable it necessary.` lith the shaking or the table the grapes graduallymove toward the lower end of the same and the branched stems of anygrape clusters will sooner or later engage and be caught and held by thepins 21 projecting upwardly from the table. With the .sweeping` ol thebrushes against the held clusters the grapes will be forced along thetable and pulled away from the stems or the latter broken apart, sincesaid stems are hcld by the unyieiding pins. The portions ot the stemsactually separated from the grapes soon clear themselves from` the pinswith the shaking of the table and will move lengthwise ol the tableuntil they drop through the screen 19. The individual grapes roll overthe screen and onto the apron or' the stemming unit and thence into thetroughs, where said grapes are acted on for the removal oit the stems ifany in the manner previously recited.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I haveproduced such a cevice as substantially 'fulfills the objects et theinvention as set forth herein.

l/Vhile this specilication sets forth in detail the present andpreferred construction of the .mounted in connection with the tabledevice,'still in practice such'deviations from such detail may bcresorted to as `de not form a departure from the spirit of theinvention, as delined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what l claim as new and useful anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is :v

l. A grape stemming device including a pair oivl transverselyalined anddownwardly sloping rollers engaging each other and arranged to be drivenso that their upper itaces turn toward each other, a longitudinal troughdisposed centrally of and between the rollers to enable a grape to besupported by the upper faces of both rollers, and tired liexible curtainhung above the trough and depending thereinto a snilicicnt distance toengage a grape rolling down the trough.

2. A grape stemming device including a pair of transversely alined anddownwardly sloping rollers engaging each other andarranged to be drivenso that their upper l'aces turn toward each other, a longitudinaltroughdisposed centrally oit and between the rollers to enable a grape to besupported by the upper faces oi' both rollers, and a water spray nozzlearranged to discharge into the trough at the ripper' end thereof.

3. In connection with a grape stemming unit, a shaker table mountedahead of said unit and arranged to deliver onto thesan'ie, said tablebeing arranged to receive clusters oi" grapes thereon at its head end,and means for breaking up the clusters into individual grape andstemunits by the time said grapes reach the delivery end ot the table.

a. ln connection with a grape stemming unit, a shaker table mountedahead o't said unit and arranged to deliver onto the same, said tablebeing arranged to receive clusters of grapes thereon at its head end,pins projecting upwardly from the table to engage the crotches otbranched stems, and means for engaging the grapes associated with suchstems and breaking the grapes loose from the stems.

5. ln connection with a grape stemming unit, a shaker table mountedahead of said unit and arranged to deliver onto the same, said tablebeing arranged to receive clusters of grapes thereon at its head end,pins projecting upwardly -from the table to engage the crotches oibranched stems, anda brush movable longitudinally in the direction ofthe delivery end of the table arranged to engage the grapes associatedwith such branched stems. y

In testimony whereof l kali'ix my signature.

STANLEY r. frnirnnrr.

